50 agrarian reform beneficiaries, attends SRI Technology Training in Mogpog

MOGPOG, Marinduque - A two-day System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Technology training is held in Bintakay, Mogpog, and is attended by 50 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary-members of the Bintakay Farmers Association under the Climate Resiliency Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP).

The resource speaker/ trainer is Mr. Jonathan Quinto of the AGREA. SRI is a climate-smart and agroecological methodology to increase the productivity of irrigated rice (and, more recently, other crops) by changing the management of plants, soil, water, and nutrients. Using the SRI methodology, yields are increased by 20-50% or more, while reducing inputs: seed by 90%, irrigation water by 30-50%, chemical fertilizer by 20-100%, and usually reduced need for pesticides. For the farmer, SRI brings greater returns to labor, land, and capital.

The two-day activity covers one and a half-day lecture/workshop and the actual preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides and a half-day of actual farm application focused on the rice planting method.

Eufronia Q. Limpiada said "Dati pitong salop and semilya ng palay ang tanim ko sa isang pitak ng palayan ko. Ngayon dahil sa teknolohiya ng SRI mga isang salop na lang ang binhi na kailangan. Malaking katipiran ito para aming maliit na magsasaka lalo na at kami din ang gagawa ng mga organikong pataba at pamatay peste.”

Barangay Chairman Lope Hirondo stressed that, "Mapalad ang aming barangay na naging benepisyaryo ng DAR. Nagbigay sila ng Solar Power Irrigation System (SPIS} na maaring makapagpatubig ng tuluy-tuloy ng limang ektaryang  palayan at gulayan ng humigit kumulang na tatlumpong magsasaka/ARBs.Meron pang traktora na may trailer, mga farm tools, binhi ng palay at gulay sa programang CRFPSP. Sa pagsasanay na SRI ang natutuhan ko ay ang pagtatanim ng palay na pasulong taliiwas sa nakaugalian na paatras.Bakit nga ba hindi, ay kasi mabubura ang mga guhit ng distansya ng taniman.”

Present also during the conduct of activity are ARPT Eiraiza Ann T. Lusterio and ARPO II Alejandro S. Buñag, CRFPSP Focal-Person.